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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. spring — the season
  3. bound — obliged
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pound — a weight
  10. spring — a coil
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bound — certain
  22. perch — the fish
  23. spring — of water
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com